South Africa coach Hugo Broos says he will be banking on the Super Eagles to overcome Benin for Bafana and qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
As it stands, the Republic of Benin is leading Group C with 17 points after defeating Rwanda 1-0, while South Africa played a 0-0 draw with Zimbabwe. South Africa currently have 15 points, while the Super Eagles have 14 points and are in third position.
South Africa now have to rely on Nigeria to defeat Benin next Tuesday if they want to secure the top spot in Group C.
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Reacting after the game, Broos told Sport TV that he’s still optimistic South Africa will qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
“We have to play just like today and try to win the game. Then try to see what happens if everything is as it has to be.
“Maybe Benin lose in Nigeria or maybe with goal difference. I don’t have a good view on that at the moment.
“But we just have to go for the victory against Rwanda and then see what happens.”
12 Comments
Why should you expect favours from us? Dreamer. We expect Rwanda to do a job on you. We will fight our own battle.
This is true
I would rather prefer that Benin goes to their first World Cup than loud-mouth and boastful South Africa Bafana and their Coach. A draw with Super Eagles would send Gernet Rhor’s Benin to WC 2026. If Nigeria can’t go, then it should be Benin that deserve our favour.
I think we should play fair and aim to win by a 2-goal margin and see what happens after that. Zimbabwe played fair in SA yesterday, battling to a 0-0 draw, despite being out of contention and neighbors to SA. We cannot set a bad example.
I was previously of the view that we should do Benin favors, but thinking about it again, would Benin do the same for us if they had that chance? They’re battling already and are in Uyo already as we speak, ahead of our own team.
Besides, even if SA beats Rwanda and tops the table, we could qualify for a playoff, given the rule that says points will be deducted across all groups for points against the bottom team following Eritrea’s withdrawal. That withdrawal, which triggers the rule, puts Nigeria at an advantage as we earned only 2 points from the bottom team in our group, Zimbabwe, whereas many 2nd-placed teams in other groups earned a maximum 6 points from the bottom teams in their group.
In essence, we could sneak in as one of the top best 2nd-placed teams by that rule. But if we throw the match on Tuesday, we would very likely finish 3rd with no chance to benefit from the rule when it applies.
How do we even imagine toying with the game knowing we still have mathematical chance of qualifying? This due to love for a Rorh, Benin or both? Yes if we have no business qualifying and was asked to choose between Benin & SA, I will definitely prefer Benin to go through, but with the situation on ground, we shd be thinking of how our boys will bring out their A game and dismantle Benin then whatever happen in the other game shd happen.
I like your optimism @kel. Playoff spot, though may be good for us on paper, will be highly embarrassing for Nigeria because of the relatively easy group we were dealt with.
By the way, the playoff is only one of two playoffs.
African playoff which will see the best four play against one another in two matches (see it as semi final), and the winners of both matches square off in a winner takes all final, all three matches in November.
The sole winner proceeds to another playoff next year against one each from AFC (Asia), OFC (Oceania), Conmebol (South America) and 2 from concacaf (Americas).
Let me put Wiki explanation here:
“The play-off winner (from Africa) will join one team each from AFC, CONMEBOL and OFC and two from CONCACAF in the inter-confederation play-offs. The teams will be ranked according to the FIFA Men’s World Ranking, with the four lowest-ranked teams playing in two single-elimination matches. The winners will meet the two highest-ranked teams in another set of single-elimination matches, with the winners of these matches qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.”
That’s another 2 matches AGAINST NON-AFRICAN OPPOSITIONS (assuming we survive the 2 African playoff matches IF WE ARE FORTUNATE TO QUALIFY).
4 Matches.
And you think we are ready to do that? 9 out of 10 Nigerians will say we should not bother about it.
And we are in the majority.
Playoff spot is not for mediocres.
We are not even qualifying for the so-called playoffs, even if teams lose points because of Eritrea.
Already, minus points gotten from bottom-placed teams, the playoffs table reads
Gabon 16pts
Cameroon 14 pts
DRC 13pts
Madagascar 13 pts
Burkina Faso 12pts +4 goal difference
Nigeria 12pts +3 goals difference
.
.
Each of them has relatively winnable final-day matches:
Gabon vs Burundi (Already Eliminated)
Burkina Faso vs Ethiopia (Already Eliminated)
Mali (Already Eliminated) vs Madagascar
DRC vs Sudan (Already Eliminated)
Cameroon vs Angola (Already Eliminated)
We, on our part, are playing the table toppers in our group on the final day, with an inability to score more than 1 goal from open play all through these qualifiers……..LMAOooo. So who are we planning to leapfrog into the final 4 playoffs place?
While doing that, we are still praying for already eliminated Rwanda to suddenly develop superpowers and beat SA in Durban……LMAOooooo
God really has a lot of work to do for Nigeria to qualify for this world up o. He will have to punish so many countries that have worked so hard all through the qualification series.
Thanks for the nice analysis on the point of 2 place teams KEL … Can the super Eagles deliver… They are so scary to watch this days
What gives South Africa confidence to beat Rwanda?
Rwanda is stronger than South Africa, and they are a very compact team. Mind you, they beat Bafana Bafana 2:0 in their first leg.
So, what is the coach talking about?
God has absolutely answered our prayers and it is left to the Super Eagles to get the job done.
Rwanda’s coach will never allow his team to lose on Tuesday because of Nigeria.
The Rwanda gaffer is a lover of the Super Eagles and deeply inside him, he would do us a favour by winning or drawing against South Africa.
So, our boys have to be mentally ready for the match on Tuesday.
Congratulations to Nigeria in advance. God is in control.
I believe Nigeria will make it to the World Cup shikena. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
Y’all should keep dreaming, Rwanda will defeat SA in Durban for you guys……..LMAOooo. I repeat, keep dreaming.
Y’all think the game would be played on the same waterlogged pitch in the old Kigali stadium, where SA could not play their smooth, free-flowing passing game….??? It’s like y’all don’t recall that that was the only home win Rwanda has had in these qualifiers.
Y’all have also forgotten that the game was played before the last AFCON, where SA found their mojo and have gone on a 17-match (or thereabout) unbeaten run afterwards….???
Continue joking ehn…..LMAOooo. Shebi God created Himself for Nigeria alone. That is why all other countries would start failing so that Nigeria can succeed……LMAOooo. Even Israel and Saudi Arabia have to battle hard to qualify for the World Cup…….LMAOooo
My simple advice…….whatever we are doing on Tuesday, the moment news filters in that SA is already in the lead vs Rwanda, particularly if it’s a 2-goal lead, we’d better open up our defence and allow Benin to score goals and win.
The worst curse on us will be that we are the ones who gave our enemies a ticket to the World Cup.
I can’t even phantom SA still qualifying for the WC ahead of Nigeria, despite Nigeria’s efforts to see that 3 points got deducted from them.
We will be taunted about that, lose respect, and lose bragging rights because of that, for eternity.
If we are not qualifying for this WC, South Africa too must not qualify.
Dr. Drey, please calm down a bit young man.
Did you watch Rwanda vs Benin?
If not, go watch the highlights on YouTube.
Rwanda will either win or draw against South Africa.
As a doctor, you understand that psychologically, South Africa has not recovered from the three points deducted by FIFA and the draw against Zambia.
Bafana Bafana won’t be at their best
Against Rwanda because they are under pressure while Rwanda is not.
Rwanda is a strong team and hard to beat. The Rwanda coach will follow Zimbabwe’s footsteps to dash the hopes of the South Africans.
My worry now is our boys. Benin wasn’t superb against Rwanda; both teams were under intense pressure, and the match wasn’t that impressive.
I am not expecting Benin to come out to play tomorrow, while South Africa will come out in numbers to score. This is where Rwanda will nail the Bafana Bafana down. While Super Eagles gaffer must not Pears Oshimen and Arokodare together, rather, Oshimen and Akor Adams are the perfect ones to face the physical Benin team.
I am congratulating our Super Eagles in advance for tomorrow’s match. What is happening in our group is happening for a reason and the signs are there for everyone to see kę.
I believe we are topping Group C tomorrow by God’s grace. Iyanu masęlę. Ęlọ woman balę. Put your minds at rest Nigerians.
God is in control of everything. We move. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
Don’t tell me to go and watch highlights. I watched the match between Rwanda and Benin after 30 minutes of the stupidity your SE was displaying vs Lesotho. The same Lesotho Benin put 3 goals past in only the 1st half of their game.
You think because your SE is struggling with Rwanda, every other team will struggle against them too abi……LMAOoo.
Continue joking ehn.
Sports Psychologist Isonu